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redefining math literacy

It's my fifth year of teaching and I have a math intervention class. The term intervention sounds really serious, as if we're bringing in a team of family members to confront a child on drug addiction. Apparently, it's less severe - some kids aren't getting Read More...
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2010 03 8

John Spencer

5 Comments

narrowcast nation

We have a substitute teacher who showed up wearing a shirt with paisleys and donning a permed mullet. A student asked him, "Are you a fan of Hall and Oates?" "Hall and Oates rock!" he answered. The student began to sing an impromptu version of "You Make Read More...
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2010 03 5

John Spencer

5 Comments

mystery

Note: this is a small section of one of the chapters that I'm writing for Teaching Unmasked. Parts of the book are written from scratch and other parts use my blog as source material. And now I'm using a part from the book to post to the blog - so I guess Read More...
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2010 02 26

John Spencer

4 Comments

a make-believe conversation about parenting

"Hey John, can you describe your approach to parenting?" "I guess I would say that I want to have a few firm boundaries, a considerable amount of freedom and unconditional love." "Oh, that's not at all how I run a family," my friend explains. The term Read More...
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2010 01 29

John Spencer

23 Comments

combating the myths of online reading

I'm reading a great book called Readicide, but he has a very anti-computer bias. I get it. I can be a bit of a Luddite myself. However, my concerns have more to do with the entertainment of the medium, the loss of community in online communication and Read More...
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2010 01 27

John Spencer

0 Comments

a few crude metaphors

Our school is state-of-the art. Okay, it's more state-of-the-science in its layout and design. In order to run effeciently, the architects included a series of automated eco-friendly devices. While I am sure each device has helped reduce carbon emmisions, Read More...
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2010 01 18

John Spencer

10 Comments

Friday Featured Blog: Russ Goerend (Learning Is Life)

Russ Goerend was a blogger I discovered a month or two ago. Honestly, he discovered my blog first. It's no surprise to me that his blog was nominated for an Edublog Award or that he has almost 1,000 followers on Twitter (if you don't follow his tweets, Read More...
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2010 01 8

John Spencer

0 Comments

it's not about sugar cube missions

People use the term "art inclusion," with a pejorative connotation, the same way that they use special ed inclusion. It's as if art is a complimentary extra, a whip cream on a latte or sprinkles on the cup cake. It's easy to view art as decorative or Read More...
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2009 12 19

John Spencer

3 Comments

a pie chart about edu-pie-charts

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2009 12 10

John Spencer

6 Comments

a few teacher book recommendations

I hate most teacher books. I know, hate is usually a word I reserve for racism, genocide, the Dodgers and black olives. It's just that I don't want to learn the five magical keys or the fifty rules or the seven steps. I don't want to "be inspired" by Read More...
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2009 10 23

John Spencer

0 Comments

if it says community, it's not a community

Call this Spencer's Rules of Naming: If you have to tell me it's a community, then it's probably not a community. We have a local Jesus-Flavored Country Club in town. They charge people to drive past Christmas lights. They provide a massive fitness center Read More...
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2009 10 17

John Spencer

2 Comments

the achievement gap

It's my first year of teaching and I have the task of analyzing ethnic demographic data in relation to achievement scores. Basically, it's stereotyping with good intentions (if one considers raising test scores to be good intentions. I'm not so sure) Read More...
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2009 10 10

John Spencer

9 Comments

multiple choice writing test?

Apparently, due to a state budget crisis, we will not have an eighth grade AIMS writing test. If I'm reading the e-mail correctly, our state will assess writing once every two years and in place of the writing exam will be a multiple-choice writing test. Read More...
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2009 09 15

John Spencer

4 Comments

celebrating the chains

Sometimes I come across as anti-chain in my mentality. I love the local flavor of Grimaldi's or Lenny's Burger or Chino Bandito . I think My Nana's tortilla chips beat anything Frito-Lay tries to offer. Despite my penchant for glorifying all things parochial, Read More...
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2009 07 18

John Spencer

2 Comments

Graven Images: A Post About Arne

I love to sketch things when I'm bored. I draw during staff meetings all the time. I've always been real self-concious about it, because I can draw and paint, but I'm not so great with doodles. Despite this, I'm going to start posting my "graven images" Read More...
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2009 07 1

John Spencer

2 Comments

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